Introducing International Social Work

This book guides the reader through the international development of social work and discusses how aspects of globalisation are making it an increasingly international activity and profession. Individual chapters locate the UK population historically and currently as a multicultural community and explore the international issues that social workers in the UK confront in their daily practice with children and families, people with mental health issues and older people. This text helps students meet the academic benchmarks and National Occupational Standards that require them to locate social work practice in a European and international context.

Sue qualified as a social worker in1976 and has been a social work educator since 1991, currently Principal Lecturer in International Social Work at London Metropolitan University. Sue has been actively involved in European social work research, networks and exchanges throughout her career and is a Course Director of the MA Comparative European Social Studies (MACESS) and Course Leader of the Professional Doctorate International Social Work. Sue is currently UK representative on the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW), is on the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Social Work and is a reviewer for the journal International Social Work.

Following an early career in school social work, Karen Lyons taught social work for 26 years at the University of East London. She initiated a degree year option in International Social Work in the 1990s which was subsequently developed into an MA programme. These courses drew on experience gained through an ERASMUS network, including student exchange programmes. She is now an Emeritus Professor (International Social Work) at London Metropolitan University where she is based as the Editor in Chief of the Journal, International Social Work. Other current work includes research student supervision; writing; and consultancy work, in the UK and abroad.

After spending 19 years in child care social work, Graeme Simpson joined the University of Wolverhampton in 1997, where he has organised successful overseas student placements. European and International social work is a specialist interest and he has led international seminars in Belgium, Germany and The Netherlands and also the UK. A current focus of his work is developing the international perspective within mainstream social work education. Other work includes being a member of the Book Review Panel for European Journal of Social Work and also reviews papers for International Social Work.

Nathalie Huegler trained as a social worker in Germany and has since worked with young refugees in different settings, currently as a senior social worker supporting child torture survivors in a charity in London. After an M.A. in International Social Work and Refugee Studies from the University of East London (in 2004), she is now studying towards a PhD at London Metropolitan University, focussing on social work with separated children and human rights, from a cross-national comparative perspective. Other activities include editorial assistance work for the journal International Social Work, and part-time teaching at London Metropolitan University.